Chapter 128
“Damn it.”
Daphner Philian spat out the snow that had gotten into his mouth.
Screams and monstrous roars didn’t cease. The stench of thick blood mixed with the freezing air was so strong his nose felt numb.
Thankfully, the imperial knights had regained their senses and were charging forward in formation. The kingdom’s rangers sprinted across the snow, cutting down monsters.
The allied forces were gradually regaining their structure.
But that didn’t mean the confusion shaking Daphner’s mind had faded.
The Four Heavenly Kings?
He had heard the term—but only as something from long ago, when the Demon King was still unfamiliar and humans, driven by fear, invented imaginary servants for him. Things that only appeared in old fairy tales or stage plays.
Everyone, even children, now knew that the Demon King did not have such laughably named subordinates.
Yet it was real?
She was strong.
Despite the childish title “Spirit Summoner of Darkness,” her ability was no joke.
The snow she conjured swallowed everything. The fireballs raining within that snow shattered the ice wall and destroyed the search battalion’s formation.
What were those? They looked like mana cannons.
But there was no way the Demon King would use mana cannons. The avalanche and the ice had obscured his view too much.
Daphner pulled his bowstring again. The arrow of manifested mana pierced the heart of a Troll charging at him.
Three follow-up arrows cut apart its regenerating neck and torso.
Damn it, there are too many monsters.
Normally, this wouldn’t be a problem. But the situation was the worst—no, the environment created by the Demon King was the worst.
All of this was intentional. He’s trying to overwhelm us and annihilate us.
The avalanche, the magical bombardment, the waves of monsters—everything flowed too naturally.
Of course, the allied forces were strong. He didn’t think they wouldn’t be able to stop it.
But the casualties required to produce that victory would be horrendous—and realizing that was exactly what the Demon King intended made Daphner grit his teeth.
The Demon King’s strategy…
At that moment, Daphner felt a flow of mana—mixed with demonic energy, disturbingly alien.
He followed the flow. He saw the masked Spirit Summoner of Darkness, and beside her a man with black hair.
A demon…?
He looked familiar. The one he had seen during his previous climb up Ergest—the one who had deceived even his senses.
That face…
He resembled that man named Pale—though the feeling he gave off was entirely different.
They’re exposed.
It was a chance. Daphner suppressed his presence as much as possible and drew the string. Mana condensed, then detonated in an instant.
A flash streaked forward.
CRACK—
In a split second, the arrow reached right in front of the Spirit Summoner of Darkness. Just as Daphner thought he had hit her, a hand thrust itself into the path.
He’s strong…!
Daphner fired again and again. The lightning-imbued arrows flew true every time, but they were all blocked.
Black flames continuously flared.
There’s no doubt. A demon of flame.
Likely a high-ranking demon.
We have to kill him here. We can’t let him escape.
He scanned the battlefield quickly. The avalanche had created a disadvantageous situation, but Hillen Cargill and the elite allied warriors were displaying strength worthy of their reputations, preventing the frontline from collapsing.
Those two are commanding the monsters. If we kill them, we seize the advantage.
Daphner sprinted toward the rise. But then—another blast of a horn echoed.
A chill of dread stabbed his brain.
KRUOOOOOOH—!!
With a tremendous roar, a demon resembling an orc riding a wolf jumped down. Hundreds of Feral Orcs followed.
“…My god.”
Daphner bit his lip as he drew his bowstring. A flash erupted toward the massive demon in the lead.
***
“Huff… huff…!”
Daphner gasped for breath.
The demon had been strong. Its swordsmanship was crude, but it had power, and despite its huge size, it was fast and agile.
Still, at best, it was only around mid-tier. There was no reason he couldn’t kill it—if not for the Feral Orcs who hurled themselves at him recklessly to protect it.
Dozens of their corpses were piled around him.
The battle had been brutal. Wounds multiplied across his body. But the allied forces eventually pushed the enemies back, and the demon fighting him fled on its wolf.
“Are you alright?”
“…Yes. What about you, Hillen?”
“I am fine as well.”
The battlefield was pure chaos. Crimson snow mixed with blood, corpses half-buried everywhere.
The alliance had climbed the mountain with confidence and paid dearly for falling into the Demon King’s trap.
Even so, victory was victory, and the joy of survival spread in cheers.
“Pull the horses out from the snow!”
“Get the wounded first and move out!”
“Recover the bodies!”
But the moment was brief. Victory was short-lived, and the alliance quickly began clearing the battlefield.
Daphner used his senses to locate signs of life beneath the snow.
“Here, here, and here—dig in those spots.”
“Yes, sir!”
Daphner himself pulled out buried knights. Just then—
Using mana to melt into the snow, he found a hand suddenly shooting up and grabbing his ankle.
“…Sir Daphner.”
A pale-faced knight emerged—first the head, then the torso, then the legs. He recognized Daphner.
Daphner realized he was one of the 3rd prince’s escort knights.
…Why was an escort knight buried here?
The avalanche could explain it. But a heavy dread crawled down his spine.
“W-we have to save him…”
“…Don’t tell me—His Highness the Prince?”
“Y-yes!”
The knight screamed. As if waiting for the cue, voices shouted from outside the pit.
“Sir Daphner! It’s terrible!”
“His Highness the Prince has disappeared!”
The escort knight drove in the final blow of truth.
“Demons kidnapped His Highness the Prince and Sir Kawell!”
“……!”
***
Martin’s last memory was the knights protecting him, the Platinum Shield mages forming barriers around them—and the demons who broke through it all.
The force that seized the back of his neck was impossible to resist.
Was I… kidnapped?
They Came to Find the Tower—and Rescue Kaede—and Yet?
Rather than fear at being kidnapped by the Demon King, Martin felt so dumbfounded he couldn’t even laugh.
He was a prince—and he hadn’t ruled out the possibility of being kidnapped when stepping into the Demon King’s domain.
That was why he had brought the Platinum Shield Mage Corps and elite escort knights.
He had never imagined this would be the result.
But where am I?
A cold chill pressed against his back. Above him, he could see the sky.
It was a small pit. He crawled out with difficulty and saw a field of pure white snow.
“You…!”
He spotted the demon who called herself the Spirit Summoner of Darkness.
“A pleasure to meet you again, Your Highness of the Empire. Allow me to reintroduce myself—I serve the Demon King as one of the Four Heavenly Kings, the Spirit Summoner of Darkness.”
She bowed politely again—just as before.
“…Why did you kidnap me?”
Martin forced himself to remain calm, though nothing made sense.
Why wasn’t he in the Tower?
Why was he speaking so casually with the Spirit Summoner of Darkness?
“You’re impatient. At times like this, it’s best to remember the saying—‘the more urgent you are, the wider a circle you should take.’”
“I asked why you kidnapped me. Do you think the Empire will stay still after this?”
“Making them stay still is exactly our job.”
“Our?”
Only then did Martin notice she wasn’t alone. Another masked woman stood behind her.
“Let me introduce you. Another of the Four Heavenly Kings who serves the Demon King—the Dark Knight.”
“Dark Knight?”
Unlike the robe-wearing Spirit Summoner, this one was clad head-to-toe in black armor.
It was odd she wore a mask instead of a helmet or visor, but he could sense a faint demonic aura.
Their eyes met.
“……”
“…You.”
Something about her looked familiar.
The long golden hair flowing down to her waist.
The emerald eyes like a tranquil lake.
The graceful, well-mannered bearing.
“I serve the Demon King as one of the Four Heavenly Kings—the Dark Knight.”
And the trembling voice.
It was impossible.
There was no way his sister would serve the Demon King.
…Right?
“You were brought here because I wished to make you an offer.”
His head remained rational—but his chest burned hot.
“…Kaede?”
And so he let the word slip out.
Even after saying it, it felt unreal.
Surely the kidnapped imperial princess wasn’t… working for the Demon King?
“…Yes. You are correct, Brother. You recognized me immediately.”
The Dark Knight removed her mask.
The familiar face of his sister was revealed.
“…So it really is Kaede?”
“Yes. The Empire’s Ninth Princess, Kaede Jespine, greets her brother.”
And at the same time—
—SHHING.
Kaede drew her sword.
She approached slowly and placed the blade at Martin’s neck.
“But the person I am now… is also the Dark Knight serving the Blazing Demon King.”
“…What are you saying? You’ve truly become a servant of the Demon King? You—an imperial princess?!”
“Yes. But I am not lonely.”
Because—
“You will serve the Blazing Demon King together with me.”
“…What?”
“Brother.”
I am doing this for you.
So—
“You must trust me completely.”
I do not want to lose you.
The Dark Knight’s eyes were resolute.
***
By the time Berze arrived where the two imperial royals and the princess were, their conversation was already deep in progress.
Ernan—who had been in the corner drawing lines in the snow with her finger—looked up to greet Berze.
“How long has the talk been going on?”
“Almost thirty minutes. I was dying of boredom waiting alone.”
“Boredom is good.”
It meant the conversation was lasting.
Given how unlikely a positive answer was, a short conversation would have meant failure immediately.
“What happened to the allied forces?”
“They realized late that the prince disappeared. They’re searching everywhere, but they won’t reach here.”
“Did I do well?”
“You did.”
Thanks to Ernan pulling attention perfectly, Berze was able to gather the monsters and send them exactly when he wished.
And the massive avalanche she had summoned inflicted heavy damage.
He could have done it without her—but not this flawlessly.
She had undoubtedly played a significant role.
“Then I want something too.”
“What?”
“You promised to give Sister Lavinia a scale, didn’t you?”
“What do you want?”
“Can I tell you later?”
She had said something similar last time…
“As you wish. As long as it’s not excessive, I’ll allow it.”
Unlike Kaede or Elena, Ernan was not Berze’s subordinate. Their relationship began with goodwill, and her help had been immense.
Granting a favor or two was nothing.
“Lord Berze.”
Kaede called him then.
“We’ve finished talking.”
“And the result?”
Berze strode over. Kaede lowered her head without a word. Martin glared sharply.
“If we can find common ground, I am willing to cooperate as an ally of the Demon King.”
“Cooperate?”
Not as a subordinate?
“I am a prince of the Empire, and my goal is the supreme throne. The Emperor who rules the greatest nation on the continent cannot become a mere lackey of the Demon King.”
“If you refuse, you will never become Emperor.”
“Even if I do not become Emperor, I remain a prince—and even if I fail to seize the throne, I will never live to see the Empire reduced to the Demon King’s puppet.”
“Then you can die.”
Berze revealed killing intent.
“My lord!”
“I gave you a chance through Kaede. That wasn’t me reaching out—it was mercy, because your sister pleaded.”
And yet Martin rejected that mercy.
“If you kill me, the Empire will surely destroy you.”
“I do not fear the Empire.”
“If that were true, you wouldn’t have made this proposal in the first place.”
“I told you already.”
Because of Kaede.
Killing intent thickened in the air. Even as his breath caught in his throat, Martin clenched his teeth and snapped back:
“Nonsense! There is no Demon King who acts based on the words of a kidnapped princess!”
“I do not move for a princess—but I do move for a subordinate, for the Dark Knight’s request.”
“If it were not beneficial to you, you wouldn’t act at all.”
“Of course. But your assumption is wrong. There is simply a difficult path and a slightly easier path.”
“Making me into your servant counts only as the easier path?”
“Yes. But you threw away that rope—so it no longer matters.”
Then naturally, you should die.
FWOOM—
Black flames surged.
They swallowed Martin whole. He collapsed into the snow, rolling as fire clung to him without extinguishing.
“My lord!”
“Wait.”
Kaede bit her lip. She wanted to save her brother immediately, but she could not move.
After a long while, Berze swept his hand. The flames receded.
Martin appeared—hair wild, gasping raggedly. His eyes had lost all focus, blank like white paper.
“That was only a taste. There will not be a second. Now—what will you choose?”
“…An emperor cannot become a lackey of the Demon King.”
Even now, he said the same thing.
That determination would have been commendable—if Berze were a subject of the Empire instead of the Demon King.
“Instead…”
“Instead?”
“I will give you something else.”
“Something else?”
“A hostage.”
“Kaede is already my subordinate.”
“Not Kaede. My elder sister—I will give you my sister.”
There was only one woman Martin could call “elder sister.”
“The First Princess?”
“Correct. Even if you abduct her, I will ensure no problems arise.”
“Making nonsense sound plausible—this is something you humans excel at.”
Berze grabbed Martin’s throat and lifted him into the air.
Martin thrashed helplessly.
“Pretending to offer a hostage—while using my hand to kill your political rival?”
Who did he take him for?
“Th-then I will give you a relic! Something worthy of trust!”
“A relic?”
“The sword that symbolizes the Emperor of the Empire! The heirloom—if you do not inherit it from the late emperor or obtain it yourself, you cannot be recognized as Emperor!”
A sword necessary to be acknowledged as emperor.
If that were true, it could easily be worth more than any hostage.
Berze loosened his grip.
“You refuse to become my subordinate, yet you can hand over something like that?”
“It is only a symbol. It cannot outweigh human lives. But without it, whoever ascends the throne will have weakened legitimacy—so for mutual trust, it is appropriate.”
“And you can simply hand it over?”
“I can tell you where it is. And provide some assistance.”
“It must be in the Imperial Vault.”
Obviously.
The Empire would never store the emperor’s symbolic blade carelessly.
The issue wasn’t knowing its location—it was whether it could be stolen.
If Berze himself appeared there and demonic energy leaked, the consequences would be far worse than now.
“I have the right to enter the Imperial Vault. I can bring one escort knight with me to the entrance. Beyond that is up to you—but it’s not a bad deal, is it?”
“That depends on what kind of item it is. If it’s merely symbolic trash…”
“Absolutely not! It is a sword forged from the bone of a Red Dragon—the Blazing Blade, Barstain. Its blade shines red like flames—”
CRACK—
“G—ghk! W-why—?!”
“What did you just say is red?”
The blade.
Red?